1. Technical Field
This application generally relates to computer processors, and more particularly to techniques used in connection with analyzing the contents of memory at the time of a processor failure.
2. Description of Related Art
Computer systems may include different resources used by one or more host processors. Resources and host processors in a computer system may be interconnected by one or more communication connections. These resources may include, for example, data storage devices such as those included in the data storage systems manufactured by EMC Corporation. These data storage systems may be coupled to one or more host processors and provide storage services to each host processor. Multiple data storage systems from one or more different vendors may be connected and may provide common data storage for one or more host processors in a computer system.
A host processor may perform a variety of data processing tasks and operations using the data storage system. For example, a host processor may perform basic system I/O operations in connection with data requests, such as data read and write operations.
Host processor systems, also referred to as server systems, may store and retrieve data using a storage device containing a plurality of host interface units, disk drives, and disk interface units. The host systems access the storage device through a plurality of channels provided therewith. Host systems provide data and access control information through the channels to the storage device and storage device provides data to the host systems also through the channels. The host systems do not address the disk drives of the storage device directly, but rather, access what appears to the host systems as a plurality of logical disk units. The logical disk units may or may not correspond to the actual disk drives. Allowing multiple host systems to access the single storage device unit allows the host systems to share data stored therein.
When a storage processor included in the data storage system fails, a complete memory dump may be generated. The memory dump may include the contents of the memory in the form of a memory dump file. The memory dump file is typically a very large file that may be used in connection with determining the cause of the failure. The data storage system may be physically located in an area with limited network connectivity and the memory dump file may need to be sent to an external or offsite location in connection with performing the analysis. Obtaining a copy of the memory dump file from the failure site may take an unacceptable amount of time due to the limited network connectivity with the failure site often extending the amount of time before any diagnosis of the failure may be rendered. Thus, it may be desirable to utilize an alternative technique to transmission of the large memory dump file offsite for further analysis.